This is a great book for those that want a fresh start and a new approach to the holiday season. While this book does require a little work, as there are questions to reflect on, there's a lot of great information that helps you explore the why behind your holiday celebrations. I really enjoyed the way this book asked me to take time to reflect on past holidays before looking into how to change my approach to the next season.

I recommend this book to everyone that will be experiencing a different holiday season, perhaps this year, and anyone that would like to look forward to the holiday season of cheer rather than stress.

Recommended reading for every holiday season! As someone who loves Christmas, I can easily get caught up in everything and not enjoy the season like I should. This book gives many practical ways to be present and in the moment, and really enjoy the season.

If you find yourself overwhelmed during the holiday season with shopping lists, endless to-do lists, event invites, hosting duties, and decorating – breathe, unclench your jaw, and take a few minutes to unwind with Beth Kempton’s Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year. With a soothing tone and invitation to forgo the hustle bustle for meaning and joy, Kempton takes readers on a journey through Anticipation: Before Christmas to Celebration: During Christmas and arrives at the end of the season with reflection in Manifestation: After Christmas. Each chapter provides suggestions for inspired holiday activities that demand we slow down and smell the cocoa. She also offers moments of “calm contemplation” and encourages us all to believe in a little Christmas Magic. Given the specificity of Christmas in the title, readers can expect some themes of faith to be woven throughout – yet it’s done with a light touch and in ways that allow even the most secularly observant among us to enjoy this charming book.

I received a digital pre-publication copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

The holidays are such a stressful time for me and especially this past year with covid and a deployment. This book was a breath of fresh air that gave a little guidance on finding our joy and reclaiming Christmas and the new year.

This was a lovely little book that made me reflect on what is and isn't important during the holidays, and made me more conscious of what is meaningful to those around me. I Ioved the factoids on the history of Christmas, like where Christmas cards come from and the history of the Christmas tree. The journal reflections were fun and made me think deeper about the meaning of Christmas. I connected with the comfort and nostalgia that the book portrayed, and I enjoyed the five stories of Christmas.

A lovely addition to the compendium of books people need in order to lift their spirits and energy during the holiday season. Kempton kept the material fresh and energizing, avoided the kind of repetition and 'stretch' content that you might see in other books of this type. Definitely a worthy choice to keep on your bookshelf to grab when the holiday season gets rough for you.

CALM CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR is written by Beth Kempton, a best-selling author (Freedom Seeker; We Are All in This Together) who advocates for doing what you love and living well, often times tied to the concept of Hygge. Here, she has divided "A Little Book of Festive Joy" into three sections: anticipation; activity during the holidays themselves and reflection afterwards. There are numerous references to childhood and a unique introduction to the five stories (faith, magic, connection, abundance, and heritage) of Christmas which she readily acknowledges will resonate differently for each reader. Throughout, Kempton includes a series of questions, providing an almost meditative feel and help in de-stressing from late November through early January. Eventually, she mentions "another chance for a fresh beginning" and refers to a more seasonal approach, "moving gently into January with grace and hope." As we move forward into 2021, it's worth considering her advice to block out chunks of time on a new calendar for "unknown goodness coming my way .... Schedule[ing] time to open up space for new possibilities [cooking together?] and to work on our dreams." I look forward to revisiting CALM CHRISTMAS AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR throughout the year.

This was definitely something different than what I expected it to be. Considering the title says "a little book of festive joy" I expected it to be joyful and celebratory of the holiday season. However, while there was minimal talk of traditions, it was very brief and then the rest of the book was more about combatting anxious situations created by the holiday season.

This is not me trying to discredit anyone who suffers anxiety during the holiday season, as I know it can be a difficult time of year for some, all I am saying is that this is not exactly what was advertised to me; Therefore, I was expecting something a little more cheerful.

Had I known this was more of a self-help book rather than a fun celebratory book going in, I might have liked it more, but honestly that just isn't what I am looking to read right now. Which is why it took me so long to read. If you are someone who suffers from anxiety during the holiday season or from seasonal depression (maybe, I personally don't have this myself, I am guessing that this could help) you might benefit from reading this, while it gives you some very average tips to combat it.

I wish this is something different than it was... I was left disappointed.

This is a great read for reclaiming the magic of Christmas by reflecting on activities and rituals that are meaningful to you and your immediate family.

During COVID year (2020), many of us are reducing our holiday plans for health and financial reasons. Even though my family doesn’t normally celebrate at home (we travel to big family gatherings), I treasure the increased alone time I have with my husband and daughter this year. I plan on incorporating the author’s tips for this year and beyond to have more time to relax and establish new traditions that reflect our values.

And last but definitely not least, I loved the author’s descriptions of food and nature!

I am a library paraprofessional and received an advance reader copy of this book.

Calm Christmas and Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy by Beth Kempton is a helpful book. It is set up with many elements that are designed to assist in bringing a stress-free holiday. As you go through all the things that are involved this month many things are involved in this time from planning, decorating, shopping and even coping with loss. The author understands and mentions ways in her guide to help readers slow down and enjoy this time. It can be a busy time, but she wants to help you feel calm. It is a good book.

This book was everything I hoped it would be! Beth Kempton is such a brilliant writer and I will definitely be reading more of her work! The research that was woven into this charming book about the festive joy of Christmas was so well-done. I discovered so much about the topic of Christmas that I had never even pondered. I loved every single chapter that spanned from the traditions and history to mindful giving. This book is just what I needed as I tend to get a little anxious (as many do) around this time of year. It will help, inform, and charm all readers! I will recommend this magical book to everyone!

This book was received as an ARC from Scribner in exchange for an honest review. Opinions and thoughts expressed in this review are completely my own.

Again another book that could not have come at a better time. I am always a giant stress ball from November to New Years and every year I keep wishing and hoping if each year is going to get easier and easier and it never does, until I read this book. Reading the stories and passages that bring calm and joy to the holiday season is exactly what I needed to help get through this holiday season especially since this will not be a normal holiday. Being thankful and blessed for what you have and feeling happy and serene is just what the doctor ordered. Even though there will be some restrictions, this book will find a way to still make this holiday season enjoyable rather than stressful.

We will consider adding this title to our Self-Help collection at our library. That is why we give this book 5 stars.

Really enjoyed this handy book about being more mindful during the holidays. So important this year due to all that we're dealing with right now with a raging pandemic. It is a magical self-care read and I highly recommend it!

Upon receiving approval for the book "Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year", I was extremely excited. Sign me up! Of course I would love to create a calmer Christmas for myself and for my family. My skepticism ensued, however, when I read Ms. Kempton's line "...but Christmas does not have to be connected to religion." I'm sorry. What? As a Christian, I believe that Christmas is celebrating the birth of Jesus. Thankfully, I continued reading, and soon understood what she was trying to convey...people celebrate Christmas in many different ways, for many different reasons, and with many different traditions. I decided to forget my bias and chose to learn more about other cultures, celebrations and beliefs. I won't say that I feel like my upcoming Christmas will be any calmer because of this book, but I will say I learned a lot...and that's a gift in itself.

I am a lover of list and planning ahead and organization. I really assumed before I started this book that I wouldn't pick up too many ideas. WRONG! Beth Kempton has such an interesting insight into a meaningful holiday season and start to the New Year! This book packs a punch in a short amount of pages and I gathered oodles of ideas to make this season less rushed, more joyful and more thoughtful.

Start this Christmas season off right. Eliminate stress and invite calm this season using this great little book of joy! Practical, easy to implement, as well.

If you are looking for ideas to promote a calm Christmas season, moving away from commercialism and hectic lifestyles, then this book might be of help to you. This is really a workbook that can help readers focus on what is meaningful to them during the holidays, and pay attention to potential stressors. The book contains a chapter on the five components or "stories" that might make up a person's individual meaning of Christmas: faith, magic, connection, abundance, and heritage. Using the exercises and thoughtful questions, the reader can gain insights into his or her own ideas for a meaningful holiday season and into a peaceful New Year. The ideas within the book encourage personal well-being and enjoyment of the events and activities that mean the most to a person.

I received this book from the publisher and from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are entirely my own.

This is the perfect little non-fiction book to keep around for the holidays! I love the calming art and how it goes through several ways to help keep calm at one of the most hectic times of the year. This would be a great gift and I am so happy to have read it!

This is a lovely book that shows us how to make our lives more peaceful, at Christmas as well as all year long. I liked the author's approach to having us think back to favorite memories to incorporate into our current situation. She bids us to pick the most treasured activities and ideas to make things special today. Thank you to Netgalley for this free ebook in exchange for an honest review.

When I requested an ARC of this book in April, I had the naive, optimistic hope that by this time, we would have returned to a closer semblance of pre-pandemic normalcy. Clearly, most of us will not be experiencing a typical hectic holiday, but perhaps that makes this book more valuable, as we have the space to determine the type of celebration we most want and need.

This self-help book provides guidelines, examples, and questionnaires to help the reader choose the aspects of a holiday celebration that are most meaningful to them and their family and to let other things go. Author Kempton points out that frantic entertaining, extravagant gift-buying, and the constant chatter inside our heads telling us what we should be doing, take away from the meaning of the holiday--whatever that is to each of us.

Although there was nothing earth-shattering in the book, it is a pleasant reminder that individuals should decide how they want to celebrate and not permit others to drive them away from that. I suspect that many people, like me, will end up longing for the stress of a typical Christmas season instead of the continuation of the unknown though. #CalmChristmas #NetGalley